For the Master or Mistress
Good Lady or Gentleman
We ask pardon for the liberty taken in calling upon you, and assure that nothing but want of employment would have induced us thus to intrude. [Note 070.1]
Machinery has so overstocked the market that it is impossible to obtain employment; [Note 070.2]
and the parish is so overburthened that we could get but little relief; [Note 070.3]
we therefore trust that the lady or gentleman will purchase some of the best reels of cotton of two unfortunate cotton spinners: [Note 070.4]
for it is the only support we have to depend on until the Lord assist us with some employment.
We are cotton spinners by our trade
Employ we cannot find
Hundreds are by work compelled
To leave their friends behind [Note 070.8]
The oldest man now on the earth
Or living in the land
Cannot remember work so bad
Nor work at such a stand
The mother she sat weeping
She raves and tears her hair
When she beholds her children dear
For they are all her care
Their altered looks she does behold
Like death appears the view
With weeping eyes to heaven she cries
Good Lord what shall we do
Our visit now to you kind friends
We hope you will excuse
And as we have explained our cause
We hope you'll not refuse
For when we saw one in distress
We joined to help him through
But now we cannot help ourselves
We have no work to do
For he that giveth to the poor
But lendeth to the Lord [Note 070.6]
So now kind friends, on us bestow
Whate'er you can afford.
There are more than four hundred out of work at this time
The person who will call for this bill will bring a sample of the very best reels of cotton for sale [Note 070.7]